Eggslut Hatches at Rio as Part of $340M Property-Wide Makeover

^{The breakfast sandwiches at Eggslut’s media preview day were hot and easy. (Photo: Vanessa Alves-Johnson / Casinos.com)}

LAS VEGAS – The Rio Hotel and Casino is undergoing a full refresh, with new restaurants helping to restore the off-Strip property to what it used to be in the 1990s and 2000s.

The latest addition in Rio's ongoing "dining overhaul" is Eggslut, which had its grand opening on January 15. Known for drawing in massive lines at The Cosmopolitan since 2016, this is the brand’s second Las Vegas location but the first location off the Strip. 

Eggs are in literally every sandwich they offer, which comes as a surprise to no one. The name is silly, but it's based off of a popular term that used to describe people in the mid-2000s that felt that every food needed an egg on it. Who would’ve expected it to be that serious of a phenomenon though?

We were lucky enough to chat with Patrick Miller, Rio’s President and CEO, about the addition of Eggslut as the property continues to innovate across departments.

Eggslut Joins Restaurant Additions at Rio

For Rio’s team, the accessibility was a major factor in their decision to bring Eggslut to the property. The other location inside The Cosmopolitan is located essentially in the heart of the Strip, meaning it’s only really convenient for guests staying there or visiting the property.

“The problem with the current restaurant in Las Vegas is it's not easy to get to for locals or even someone at a neighboring hotel.” Miller said. “If you’re driving, you have to park your car and pay for parking. And for anyone else visiting, you still need to go up an elevator, and then you still have to wait in line there.”

By contrast, Rio has placed Eggslut just steps away from the front desk and hotel elevators, with free parking available in both the nearby garage and surface lots. Miller said the goal was to create a quick, high-quality breakfast option that works for hotel guests, locals, and visitors stopping by from the Strip.

Whether you were coming from the Strip or not, Eggslut’s giant marquee sign at Rio was hard to miss on the grand opening day. (Photo: Vanessa Alves-Johnson / Casinos.com)

“They have locations worldwide and a lot of them are not in casinos.” Miller elaborated. “But there's volume in Las Vegas and many benefits of being in a big casino tower like Rio. We have accessibility and that's where we're a little different in that we have 2,500 rooms right above Eggslut that help them stay busy.”

The brand started off as a food truck in LA and now operates locations across the United States, London, Japan, and Hong Kong. Having such a trendy restaurant in-house helps to modernize their dining outlets without having to bring back old restaurants from the dead.

Eggslut joins other recent dining additions like the Canteen Food Hall and The Kitchen Table where Hash House A Go Go used to be. Miller confirmed to us that they’ll be welcoming in &Pizza as a nextdoor neighbor to Eggslut near the sportsbook, offering fast-casual oval shaped pizzas. 

A New Chapter After 36 Years

Eggslut’s opening also comes as Rio celebrates its 36th anniversary. As the property marks another milestone, the renovations across the casino and hotel continue rather than letting it fade away as a relic of the past. This dates all the way back to 2019, when the New York-based real estate company Dreamscape Companies purchased the Rio from Caesars Entertainment for $516.3 million. 

But issues mounted with the property, as Caesars continued to operate the Rio under a leaseback agreement and Dreamscape’s role was to manage the long-term future of the property. 

Dreamscape proceeded to become the sole operator of the property in October 2023. Since then, they have invested $340 million into a huge renovation to breathe life back into the Brazilian-themed gem of a property right near the Strip. 

Rio has brought in a new management team, with the addition of Miller as the property’s CEO and President in May 2024. He previously served as President and COO of Park MGM and helped lead the property as it transitioned away from the Monte Carlo name.

“Through prior ownership, the property needed some love and energy and that,” Miller said. “After COVID and coming back into it the team had to answer the question, ‘what do we want to do with it?’ After all, it’s our flagship property – there is no other Rio.”

Today, Rio is still undergoing many different operational changes. Recent updates include the renovation of 1,500 suites in the Ipanema Tower, conversion of the buffet into a food hall, and redesigned pool areas. 

The changes are visible right when you walk in, from the modernized hotel lobby area all the way up to the top floor with the addition of High Steaks Vegas. The new steakhouse sits all the way up on the 50th floor where Voodoo Steaks used to operate, led by Chef James Trees of the popular downtown restaurant Esther's Kitchen.

Eggslut is All That It’s Cracked Up to Be

Honestly, Eggslut delivers on the quality of their sandwiches. I'm not usually one to enjoy an overpriced breakfast sandwich when I'm anywhere near the Strip, but I can justify the price of this one at $11. I've actually dealt with worse at cafés off the Strip, but they probably aren't nearly as good.

Think Egg McMuffin, but much higher quality and so much fresher. It can make for great hangover food, but also a tasty breakfast in general. The placement near the Strip makes total sense. At the grand opening, they served samples of their popular sandwiches: the Fairfax with soft scrambled egg and both of their bacon and sausage breakfast sandwiches. The Bacon, Egg, and Cheese sandwich takes the cake.

As the Rio continues its refresh, Eggslut is just a chapter in the property’s makeover story to remind us why we fell in love with this off-Strip 36 years ago.